A community based therapeutic counselling service, Your Space, is working with groups and individuals to improve their mental health and resilience in East London.
Based in Newham, one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK, Your Space provides vital services to vulnerable people to promote and facilitate better mental health, tackle isolation and loneliness and empower service users to regain confidence.
A key offering is Walk and Talk, a weekly walking therapy group for any local community members in need of support. The group take relaxed walks in safe, open spaces and help members to talk through any concerns they have while building an invaluable support network. During the sessions, members often share their stories of success in the face of adversity, inspiring other members to overcome any barriers they have.
Walk and Talk is one of many group support networks Your Space provides. To help reduce the levels of isolation amongst elderly people, it also runs Connecting Elders groups, where members help prepare light lunches and participate in various social and recreational activities.
The Connecting Families group offers mothers and children with the chance to go on regular trips and activities designed to help improve local connections and the level of quality interactive time between local parents and their children. Your Space also has a one-to-one therapeutic counselling service.
In 2014, Your Space was incorporated by Caritas Anchor House, a residential and life-skills centre for single homeless adults, based in Newham. Every year, Caritas Anchor House offers a home and support to up to 250 homeless people. Their driving mission is to ensure that those who walk through their doors grow in confidence and move towards leading independent, self-fulfilling lives by providing education, guidance and personal rehabilitation. Over 35% of its resident group has an identified mental health need, who are able to access Your Space’s services.
Keith Fernett, Chief Executive of Caritas Anchor House, said “Our Your Space services aim to empower service users to engage and navigate local services with confidence, rather than with feelings of helplessness. We are proud to act as a beacon of hope, both to our homeless residents and vulnerable members of the local community.”
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